0 A.D's Built-in Encyclopedia

[ShadowOfHassen]

Pr for Macidonia and Secluid houses. (They had very similar houses, so they're sharing a rewritten version of the Athenian house)

https://github.com/TheShadowOfHassen/0-ad-history-encyclopedia-mod/pull/126

Edited March 9 by ShadowOfHassen

[Lion.Kanzen]

6 minutes ago, ShadowOfHassen said:

Pr for Macidonia and Secluid houses. (They had very similar houses, so they're sharing a rewritten version of the Athenian house)

https://github.com/TheShadowOfHassen/0-ad-history-encyclopedia-mod/pull/126

The Seleucid houses have to write that the architectural style is an oriental mix of the Middle East with Hellenistic style.

https://wildfiregames.com/forum/topic/19497-poll-seleucid-architecture-direction/#comment-301849

Edited March 9 by Lion.Kanzen

[ShadowOfHassen]

2 hours ago, Lion.Kanzen said:

The Seleucid houses have to write that the architectural style is an oriental mix of the Middle East with Hellenistic style.

https://wildfiregames.com/forum/topic/19497-poll-seleucid-architecture-direction/#comment-301849

I'm not sure I do. I haven't gone into any detail about the styles of the other buildings. Obviously, the Seleucid's were influenced by Persia, but I don't think it's big enough that it has to be stated.

[Lion.Kanzen]

1 hour ago, ShadowOfHassen said:

I'm not sure I do. I haven't gone into any detail about the styles of the other buildings. Obviously, the Seleucid's were influenced by Persia, but I don't think it's big enough that it has to be stated.

Is important because it is not an architectural style that is easy to find or explain at first glance.

Maybe it would be more appropriate with a more representative building

 

But for example One thing that is evident in some models of the houses is that they have an internal garden/courtyard.

[Vantha]

Yeah, maybe we should write one text for each civ about its architecture.

[ShadowOfHassen]

Here's a PR for Ptolmic houses: https://github.com/TheShadowOfHassen/0-ad-history-encyclopedia-mod/pull/127

I wasn't able to find as much information as I had for the other Hellenistic buildings. I think the article is good enough on its own but If I find more information during my research (or if anyone else has information) I will add it.

[Vantha]

PR for the Lighthouse of Alexandria:https://github.com/TheShadowOfHassen/0-ad-history-encyclopedia-mod/pull/128

Quote

The Lighthouse of Alexandria was located on a small island called Pharos, just off the coast of Alexandria. Construction was commissioned by Ptolemy I Soter, the founder of the Ptolemaic kingdom, and lasted multiple decades, costing 800 talents (equivalent to some tens of millions of modern-day US dollars) in total.

The building itself had a 90-by-90-foot (30-meter) base and was divided into three parts. The bottom block was square- the middle block octagonal- and the top part circularly shaped. Including an alleged statue at the top, the lighthouse was said to measure over 300 feet (100 meters) in height, making it the second-tallest man-made structure at the time—only behind the pyramids of Giza.

Not only in terms of size but also architecture and engineering, the lighthouse marked an impressive achievement and it became a famed landmark for the metropolis of Alexandria. It is not without reason counted towards the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

And the structure proved very resilient: The Lighthouse of Alexandria survived over 1600 years before, damaged by multiple earthquakes, collapsing, or being taken down.

 

[DGMurdockIII]

This look amazing hope it gets a lot of community contributions 

[Grautvornix]

Indeed @Vantha and @ShadowOfHassen your encyclopedia is a superb contribution creating an even deeper game experience!

Thanks for all your effort! Much appreciated!

[ShadowOfHassen]

15 minutes ago, Grautvornix said:

Indeed @Vantha and @ShadowOfHassen your encyclopedia is a superb contribution creating an even deeper game experience!

Thanks for all your effort! Much appreciated!

I can't speak for, @Vantha  but I'm enjoying the work!

I'm probably repeating myself, but anyone else is welcome to join! If you don't think you can write (Which is wrong. Anyone can write.) I'm sure Vantha would be happy with some help on the new encyclopedia page.

[Vantha]

Thanks @Grautvornix and @DGMurdockIII!

I too really enjoy the working on it. Progress has been going a bit slower lately, but I'm very happy with how far we've come.

And I'm always glad to hear people like it.

 

P.S.: To give a small update on the new encyclopedia page, I tried out a lot of things for hyperlinks between texts, I thought about it and came to the conclusion that they might not even be in-style with 0ad. And even if so, it'd be best to implement them as features in the engine directly (where I'm dependent on others because I don't know C++). That's why I'm gonna put this feature on hold for now, unless someone finds himself to implement it. And btw, thanks as well to @Norse_Haroldfor his advice.

[ShadowOfHassen]

12 minutes ago, Vantha said:

Thanks @Grautvornix and @DGMurdockIII!

I too really enjoy the working on it. Progress has been going a bit slower lately, but I'm very happy with how far we've come.

And I'm always glad to hear people like it.

 

P.S.: To give a small update on the new encyclopedia page, I tried out a lot of things for hyperlinks between texts, I thought about it and came to the conclusion that they might not even be in-style with 0ad. And even if so, it'd be best to implement them as features in the engine directly (where I'm dependent on others because I don't know C++). That's why I'm gonna put this feature on hold for now, unless someone finds himself to implement it. And btw, thanks as well to @Norse_Haroldfor his advice.

It's too bad about the hyperlinks. I really think they would be beneficial. Hopefully someone who knows C++ will find some time to implement it.

In the meantime, I can't wait to see the new UI!

[Vantha]

Three texts on the topic of (war) elephants: https://github.com/TheShadowOfHassen/0-ad-history-encyclopedia-mod/pull/129

 

The role of elephants in ancient warfare:

Quote

War elephants were incredibly unique and dangerous units. With their immense size, weight, and momentum, a couple of charging elephants could shatter entire formations and thus decide the outcome of a battle. Elephants were even able to damage or take down defensive fortifications. No wonder they are today often regarded as the “tanks of antiquity”.

Oftentimes, elephants also carried wooden platforms or turrets, with archers providing additional firepower. And just the presence of elephants alone rendered cavalry units virtually useless, as they scared off the horses.

But their psycholocal effect should not be underestimated either; the intimidating site alone of a charging and loudly trumpeting horde of elephants could spark heavy panic among enemies.

On the battlefield, elephants, in a constant fear of death, sometimes got out of control, turned back, and attacked their own line. To prevent that, riders had a special chisel to kill the elephant in the worst case. Elephants nonetheless, in a few instances, caused more damage to their own men than to the enemy's.

Over time, various methods to cope with the threat of war elephants on the battlefield emerged. One way was to open passages in the melee infantry formation that the elephants would instinctively run into and then barrage them with projectiles. This maneuver was famously performed under Scipio Africanus against Carthage's elephants at the Battle of Zama in 202 BC.

Digging trenches was also a good way to neutralize elephants as well. Caltrops, a spike structure put to the ground that slit open the elephant's vulnerable sole if it stepped on it, and similar anti-elephant weapons were also utilized.

One last (more unconventional) method was the use of pigs. Elephants are terrified by the screams of pigs. During the Siege of Megara in 266 BC, the defenders doused pigs in combustible liquids, lit them on fire, and drove the burning and screaming pigs towards the enemy's elephants. The elephants fell in panic and trampled many of their own soldiers.

 

Elephants in the Hellenistic world:

Quote

Greek culture only first came into contact with elephants in the 4th century BC, during Alexander the Great's campaign, particularly in India. And, without a doubt, they were deeply impressed by these huge animals. Not only did they famously face war elephants in battle, but they also saw them employed for various working tasks.

And for the following centuries, the Hellenistic Period, elephants went on to reshape warfare and culture in the Mediterranean world:

Elephants quickly spread all over the newly Greek populated regions and even further, from the Eastern Seleucid empire all the way to Carthage. Besides their high effectiveness on the battlefield, they were connected to strong symbolism.

Elephants were obtained either through trade with the Mauryan Empire in the Far East or caught in the wild through long and costly expeditions deep into the African continent.

Taming and training were comparably difficult due to elephants' complex social behavior. And they also required enormous amounts of food, which could be challenging and expensive to acquire and transport over long distances.

For these reasons, the possession of elephants usually signified high prestige. A number of different Hellenistic

monarchs bore the symbol of an elephant as a way to showcase their wealth and power.

It was, for example, also a popular motif to be depicted on royal coinage.

 

History of the relationship between humans and elephants:

Quote

Humans have for a long time kept elephants; the earliest evidence dates back to the year 2000 BC. They were, however, unlike other animals, not domesticated. Because breeding in general proved nearly impossible due to their enormous size, complex social behavior, and long gestation, most elephants were instead captured from the wild.         They were tamed by special elephant keepers called mahouts, often of Indian origin. Mahouts spent their lives forming a close relationship with their elephant, learning to ride it and guiding it to perform certain labor tasks, such as carrying luggage. Depending on the circumstances, mahouts also trained them as war elephants and led them into battle.

 

[Vantha]

19 hours ago, ShadowOfHassen said:

It's too bad about the hyperlinks. I really think they would be beneficial. Hopefully someone who knows C++ will find some time to implement it.

I hope so too. For now there will only be a seperate related article section linking to other articles, just no hyperlinks in the text itself.

[ShadowOfHassen]

A new Pr for the farming articles for the Secludes and Ptolemies.

 

https://github.com/TheShadowOfHassen/0-ad-history-encyclopedia-mod/pull/130

[Vantha]

PR for some artillery: https://github.com/TheShadowOfHassen/0-ad-history-encyclopedia-mod/pull/131

 

Gastraphetes

Quote

The gastraphetes was a type of Greek crossbow, developed during the 5th or 4th century BC. Its name, deriving from its unique design, directly translates to “belly shooter” and, in a broader context, to “belly bow” which is the term used today.
        The bow itself and the claw mechanism grabbing the bowstring were attached on opposite ends of two different beams of similar length. One of those beams (the one with the claw) rested inside a groove directly on the other beam, allowing both to slide back and forth along the other. With this particular arrangement, the bow and the claw mechanism could easily be brought together by pulling the top beam and/or pushing the lower beam. However, instead of then pulling back the bowstring like most crossbows do, the gastraphetes actually pushed the bow away from its string to create the tension: The upper beam, now protruding from the lower beam, was placed at a 45-degree angle forward on the ground. A big concave piece of wood attached to the lower beam's rear was placed to the shooter's belly. By leaning forward and pushing with his hands, pressing the crossbow against the ground, the shooter moved the beams together, therefore the bow away from its string, bending it, and therefore drawing the crossbow.
        The big strength of this design lied in its simplicity of use. Even people who had never held a gastraphete in their hands before could, with as little as only a couple of days or weeks of training, learn the basic movement cycle and fight with it. The pushing motion against the ground utilizing bodyweight, also enabled even quite untrained and physically weak soldiers to draw a strong gastraphetes. For the same reason, it had a very high draw weight (probably over 100 lbs), which subsequently led to great momentum on the arrow, a incredible range and penetrating power.
        One major drawback of this simple and efficient loading mechanism was its speed. The gastraphetes could only fire an estimated one or two arrows per minute, which was far slower than many other ranged weapons at the time. It was also, because it was fired while held similarly to the belly, harder to aim at a distant target than other crossbows. For this reason, as well as due to its large weight and mechanical complexity, the gastraphetes was (sadly) not very widely used.

 

I rewrote the oxybeles

Quote

        The oxybeles was a type of ancient Greek bolt-shooting device developed sometime around the 4th century BC, a predecessor of the ballista. It was basically an oversized crossbow (gastraphetes) mounted on a tripod. As the name (translating to “sharp arrow”) suggests, it fired big arrows or javelins. The oxybeles' immense draw weight was pulled with the help of a winch mechanism. While this slowed down reloading times a lot, it also equipped the weapon with enormous power. Its range exceeded several hundreds of feet (hundreds of meters) and was capable of piercing any soldier's shield, armor, and, at close range, even his body. Without a doubt, the oxybeles was the most dangerous anti-personnel weapon of its time.
 
However, there were trade-offs for its power. Besides the long reloading time, it was also very heavy, inflexible, and cumbersome. Transportation required a lot of effort.

 

and the lithobolos

Quote

The lithobolos (translated “stone-thrower”) was a type of Greek catapult probably first constructed for Dionysius of Syracuse's expedition against Carthage. Its defining feature was a newly developed mechanism: the lithobolos got its power from the torsion of bundles of sinew, skein, or fiber instead of the tension of a bow like traditional weapons did. The twisting was done by the catapult's arms running through the bundle and rotating as the bowstring was pulled back. For the latter, a winch mechanism was used.
        This, on the one hand, was really slow, drastically increasing reload time, but on the other hand, it allowed for great draw weights and, subsequently, very strong shooting power. Variants of the lithobolos came in all different sizes and shapes, depending on the need. Some even had a grooved stock and were specifically designed for the launch of arrows.
        Catapults like the lithobolos had a huge impact on siege warfare, as they enabled attackers to breach a city's fortification while keeping a safe distance. This could bring victory and save the time and effort of a long siege.

 

[ShadowOfHassen]

What, exactly, is the Macedonian wonder?

[Lion.Kanzen]

12 minutes ago, ShadowOfHassen said:

What, exactly, is the Macedonian wonder?

Is a Palace located in Pella or was.

 

https://www.palaceofpella.gr/?lang=en 

 

Edited March 28 by Lion.Kanzen

[Lion.Kanzen]

31 minutes ago, Lion.Kanzen said:

Is a Palace located in Pella or was.

 

https://www.palaceofpella.gr/?lang=en 

 

Forum post.

[ShadowOfHassen]

I'm going to be busy getting ready for Easter Saturday, so here's my weekly Encyclopedia writing early!

Here's a PR for the Macedonia wonder and temple. Once this is merged, it looks like all we'll have to do for Macedonia is its soldiers!

 

https://github.com/TheShadowOfHassen/0-ad-history-encyclopedia-mod/pull/132

[ShadowOfHassen]

Anybody know why there are two different Ptolmic temples, an Egyptian and a Greek, and why you can only build the greek in game?

[Gurken Khan]

I don't know, but from I read stuff is kept in the files because it would be a pity to throw it away and someone might do something with it. I think for the encyclopedia only buildings you can encounter/build yourself are relevant.

[ShadowOfHassen]

 I wonder if we should switch to the egyptian temple, because while some greeks in egypt worshiped their gods, the Egyptian populace pretty much stayed faithful to their pantheon.

[Gurken Khan]

@ShadowOfHassen As in real life I'm all for blindly following the government in everything! And as they were a Macedonian dynasty...

But seriously, all their buildings are Hellenic; I doubt every house in Egypt was remodeled/rebuilt to look Greek at that time, still we go with it. I'm not particularly against an Egyptian temple but I'm fine with just keeping the Greek suite.

[ShadowOfHassen]

13 minutes ago, Gurken Khan said:

@ShadowOfHassen As in real life I'm all for blindly following the government in everything! And as they were a Macedonian dynasty...

But seriously, all their buildings are Hellenic; I doubt every house in Egypt was remodeled/rebuilt to look Greek at that time, still we go with it. I'm not particularly against an Egyptian temple but I'm fine with just keeping the Greek suite.

That's a fair point, except, changing up the temple might be useful. There are like four other civs that use the same model.